Huddersfield Town see benefits of EFL Trophy run as Manchester United come to town

One thing the Football League Trophy is never short of is critics, but whether it be from a player or coach's perspective, Huddersfield Town can see the benefits.

The knockout stage effectively starts on Tuesday for the Terriers.

With Doncaster Rovers already through and Barnsley eliminated at the group stage, the winner of Tuesday's game between Huddersfield and visitors Manchester United Under-21s will be in the last 32.

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Even at that stage, apathy is likely to reign, with most managers using the competition for rotation and many fans staying away, either disgusted at how the competition has been bastardised by the involvement of teams such as the young Red Devils, or unwilling or unable to fork out extra money for what can sometimes be half-hearted contests.

But when this competition has given you tickets to Wembley in consecutive springs, as it has for Mickel Miller – a finalist with Rotherham United, then Plymouth Argyle – or when you see it as a vehicle to achieve the bigger-picture changes you are looking for, as coach Michael Duff does, it takes on a different light.

"It sits quite deep with me," says Miller, who won the Trophy with Rotherham in 2022 but could not repeat the feat when Plymouth made it to the 2023 final.

"I've come from non-league so I look at anything I achieve as massive. These cup games, I look at them as a step closer to achieving something big. If you beat Man U and you end up getting to Wembley, everyone's going to be celebrating it just as much as if we get promoted.

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"How many people can say they've played at Wembley, one of the best stadiums in the world? There's a lot of things to look forward to."

WINNING MENTALITY: Huddersfield Town coach Michael DuffWINNING MENTALITY: Huddersfield Town coach Michael Duff
WINNING MENTALITY: Huddersfield Town coach Michael Duff

On his memories of winning at world football's most famous ground, 4-2 after extra time against Sutton United, Miller says: "It was an exciting day, I thought we were going to lose but we ended up coming back in the last minute. The atmosphere on the day is just as overwhelming as getting promoted. It's definitely a day to remember."

Promotion is the main aim for Duff and his club but the postponement due to international call-ups of Saturday's League One trip to Wycombe Wanderers leaves no excuses not to give everything against opponents who will go through instead if they do not lose.

Putting his players under that sort of pressure only helps Duff to learn more about them.

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"We'll be picking a strong team because we want to win the game," he says. "We haven't got to the point where its win, win, win – we're not there yet. It's another opportunity to try and win a game."

FANTASY FOOTBALL: Rotherham United lift silverware at Wembley in 2022FANTASY FOOTBALL: Rotherham United lift silverware at Wembley in 2022
FANTASY FOOTBALL: Rotherham United lift silverware at Wembley in 2022

But it will not be easy.

"They're at Man United for a reason, they're talented,” he argues. “They're all athletically really good, they can all handle a football. It's an opportunity for them to impress.

"So if our lads rock up with the wrong mentality and treat it like they can't really be bothered to be there, it'll be a long evening.

"That's what Saturday (at Crawley Town in League One) could have been because they're such a possession-based team but the mentality was good.

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WEMBLEY: Mickel Miller (left) plays for Plymouth Argyle against Bolton Wanderers at the home of football in the 2023 Football League Trophy finalWEMBLEY: Mickel Miller (left) plays for Plymouth Argyle against Bolton Wanderers at the home of football in the 2023 Football League Trophy final
WEMBLEY: Mickel Miller (left) plays for Plymouth Argyle against Bolton Wanderers at the home of football in the 2023 Football League Trophy final

"It's about building a culture of knowing what you're going to get week in, week out. We haven't got to that point yet. We've been much better, but then you throw a Tamworth performance in.

"It's (about) getting to the point where we're going to have bad games and bad decisions but it can't be through a lack of mentality like Tamworth was. Without going over and over it, we want to get to the point where that isn't in the system."

The key, he believes, is to make it the game Huddersfield want to play.

"It's a different sport now, the Premier League compared to League One, a completely different animal," argues Duff.

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"These young boys don't play League One football, the centre-halves split, the full-backs drop right out, people rotating all over the place so it's different to what we're used to and they will cause us problems if we give them an opportunity.

"We need to make sure we're physically better than them – which we should be, just on age. But they'll be energetic, I know that.

"You need to impose your style, you need to win your duels, you need to show that physicality. A lot of games of football are won on physicality – Tamworth being one.

"We think we've got some good players, we want them to enjoy it and pass the ball as well but turning up mentality and physically is very important."

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Bottom of their group and yet to win in this season’s competition, Harrogate Town can also go through on Tuesday, but only if they beat visitors Blackpool.

Manager Simon Weaver is looking to see if his side has learnt from Saturday's stoppage-time defeat to bottom-of-the-Football League Morecambe.

"You learn lessons from it and it's a harsh lesson but we certainly can look back at the second half and think that's more of what we want to see," he said.

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